Oneida County - In a tourist driven economy---our lakes might be the Northwood's most valuable resource. Wisconsin's Conservation fund helps the area protect its waterways. But this year--the state budget cut the same fund by over a million dollars. Oneida County's Board of Supervisors has voted to send the state a resolution.They're asking to restore the old 9.3-million dollar budget. Conservationist Jean Hansen knows what's at stake if the right steps aren't taken. "We have a concentration of lakes that are really unique to the country. Not only to tourism but to the local people as well and if we didn't have the clean water, that would affect a lot of things. That would trickle down to the lake itself."
Conservation Chair Tom Rudolph was in favor of the board's resolution. Some people think protecting the waterways is a personal responsibility. But he thinks such a big issue takes a group effort."It's imperative that we protect the common good. And the lakes for example are part of the natural resources that belong to all of us, and we need to look at it from that stand point."The final vote came out to be 14-5 in favor of the resolution.